We are now roughly two months away from the end of 2013, and sometime between now and then SOE maintains they are beginning the closed beta for their first of two “next-gen” MMOs, Everquest Next: Landmark. The voxel-based sandbox MMO sports a “build what you want” environment where players can erect their own buildings and custom structures. These players are only limited by the resources they posses and SOE’s stance on offensive material.

Everything built in Landmark can be traced back to the tool used to harvest that material. Everquest Next: Landmark recently received a new dev diary which explains the cycle of collecting materials and combining them. As a result this new material can be used in construction or in the creation of stronger tools. Hey I think I’ve seen that before…

Ok so it’s basically Minecraft’s crafting system. While the video clearly shows Landmark is still in development, similarities can definitely be drawn to games like Dwarf Fortress and Minecraft. Heck, players even collect lava in buckets! Mind you, assuming Landmark takes place in a pseudo medieval period, buckets were made primarily out of wood. Are these magical buckets we’re crafting? Not only that, why are we using gold axes to cut down mahogany trees? Gold is terribly soft and not practical at all.

Using an already tested system isn’t necessarily a bad thing. As it stands, Landmark still represents a potentially refreshing and focused take on exploration and creativity. I’d just like to see more original crafting ideas added in with the goal of innovating rather than rehashing.